


The Ever "Delightful" Consequences of Friendship

by sparrowhaven



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Amarout, Emet-Selch gets mad at his friends, Gen, More specifically spoilers for 5.3, Or at least a good look at how said AU gets started, Spoilers for aspects of Shadowbringers, Twin Azem AU, What Came Before, news at 11, written more for my friends but go ahead and read if you want, you read that right
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:01:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29412315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparrowhaven/pseuds/sparrowhaven
Summary: "He could tolerate quite a lot from his more carefree friends, but stupidity--particularly stupidity that he'd done his best to prevent--was far more than enough to set him off."Emet-Selch is more than happy to welcome his friend into the Convocation of Fourteen as Azem. It's a role well earned, despite lingering doubts and a disappointed twin.Too bad said friend means to action on them, even though heexplicitlyadvised against it.This can only go well, clearly.
Relationships: Azem & Emet-Selch & Hythlodaeus (Final Fantasy XIV), Azem & Emet-Selch (Final Fantasy XIV)
Kudos: 5





	The Ever "Delightful" Consequences of Friendship

**Author's Note:**

> So remember that [other fic I wrote](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28377177) about a Dual Warrior of Light AU? That my best friend [thedovahcat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedovahcat/pseuds/thedovahcat) and I came up with? Yeah this is the extreme prequel to all of that. 
> 
> I'm not gonna put those two in a series together but they're most definitely related.
> 
> Some people might be a little OOC but whatever

“Oh. Hey. What’re you doing here?”

“Offering both congratulations and condolences. I take it the news didn’t sit well with her?”

“With either of us, to be honest…”

“Then I suppose it’s good that I brought _two_ well fermented bottles.”

“...Are you sure you’re not the concept of perfection in person form?”

“Please. Flattery will only get you so far, particularly now that you’re part of the Convocation.”

“Ah. Right. That. Guess we’ll see each other a lot more, huh?”

“Our roles have _some_ overlap, yes, but even if they didn’t you’d find the time to annoy me regardless of your position. You just don’t get the benefit of team effort to do so.”

“Heh, that’s true...”

“...I’m not _supposed_ to inform you about the selection process, but I _can_ say that it was a close thing. Both of you were equally qualified, but there is only one seat. You being selected does not mean she is less talented. You might recall that when I was appointed, Hythlodaeus was also just as if not more qualified for the seat.”

“I know, I know...still, it just doesn’t sit well with me.”

“You’ll get over it once you’ve officially taken on your duties. You’ll be able to leave the city more often, help more people, etcetera. Everything you already enjoy doing. Feelings fade, duty doesn’t.”

“I’m this close to taking back your status as the concept of perfection.”

“I’m dreadfully devastated.”

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

“I ought to get Hythlodaeus to come over. _He’d_ help us find a way around this.”

“He would suggest _highly illegal_ things when you ought to accept the situation given to you.”

“Hades! Have you lost your heart in your time as Emet-Selch?”

“I wouldn’t bother talking to you if I had. Or brought drinks."

"Hmph."

"...Look. You have been chosen for Azem, not Artemis. Wanting to change the past won’t fix anything. Besides which, the seat already suits you well, and time will only make your duties easier. Don’t try to do anything that you will regret just because of your guilt about something you couldn’t have influenced."

"Mmmm…"

"Unless you _want_ to be known as the shortest tenure of Azem in history. _I'd_ rather you not, but who am I to get in the way of what you desire?"

“...Oh fine, you haven’t lost your heart. Yet. I'm not going to quit."

"Good."

"She'd never speak to me again after all the hard work we both did for the seat."

"After giving you a hefty thump on the head, yes."

"But I _do_ still want to help Artemis feel better, somehow."

"I must stress that I'm confident that she will be alright. Should that not be the case, however, I've devised a series of distractions to keep her mind off of the topic."

"...You _were_ worried about us, huh?”

“Baseless accusations of my person aside, you and your twin both have a history of awful decision making whilst upset. My goal is to prevent the two of you from causing me more headaches, Apollo.”

“I think I can safely say that your goal isn’t a very attainable one.”

“Hmph. Think about what I’ve said.”

“I will.”

“ _Repeat_ what I’ve said, then.”

“‘Feelings fade, duty doesn’t.’ ‘Don’t focus on the past, look forward to the future.’ ‘I was slightly less qualified for my seat and I’m doing just fine.’ ‘I’m Hades and I’m always right about everything.’”

“Charming.”

“Thanks. I’ve been practicing my you-imitation.”

“I noticed.”

“You don’t have to glare _so_ hard, I am listening to you, I swear!”

“I’ll believe that when I see the evidence for myself.”

“You wound me.”

“The drink will help with that.”

* * *

Emet-Selch felt his eye twitch in irritation at the scene before him. He could also feel the headache building at his temples already.

When he got his hands on them, he was going to let them have it. Both of them. Preferably with Hythlodaeus in the same room so that he could get the triple combination of annoying troublemakers. It didn’t matter if he'd had nothing to do with the situation that was unfolding. Blame could be given to him regardless. Hades' words would be hot enough to scald the three into submission if it was the last thing he ever--

“Are you feeling well, Emet-Selch?” 

The genuine concern in the young voice cut through his rage-fueled imaginings. Turning to face the speaker showed him none other than Elidibus, the youngest of the convocation. He had an anxious tension in his body language. An equally anxious expression surely was overtaking the face underneath the small red mask of his peer, though he was careful to be facing forward. 

It took Emet-Selch a moment to enforce a sense of calm in himself, if only to not snap at the youth for something he had no knowledge of. “I believe I may be a little under the weather,” He managed to say while his gaze moved from the youth to Azem, who was still happily chatting with another member of the convocation. “I could have sworn that Azem resembled someone else other than himself. But that couldn’t _possibly_ be the case. There would be serious consequences if my imaginings had any basis on reality.” Venom crept into his voice as he spoke. So much for keeping calm.

He was well aware that he was far more perceptive than most. His attention to detail was one of the reasons why he had been considered for the seat of Emet-Selch in the first place. Noticing the subtle things about people was what his friends jokingly referred to as his "party trick" and they often roped him into their childish games by this ability.

This time the games had gone too far. Worse, he'd specifically _warned against_ doing anything as foolhardy as what he was witnessing. 

Even more enraging, Emet-Selch hadn't even needed a moment to tell that **_Artemis was pretending to be Apollo to play the role of Azem_**.

It was so _obvious_ to him! Yes it was difficult for most to tell the difference between the twins (especially when Artemis decided to pin up her hair to fit inside of the hood of her robe like she had done here), but to blatantly disregard any propriety and sense on a _chance_ that no one would notice was just irresponsible, ill-conceived, and _idiotic_.

He could tolerate quite a lot from his more carefree friends, but stupidity--particularly stupidity that he'd done his best to prevent--was far more than enough to set him off.

Before he could stomp over and demand what she could be possibly thinking (and damn the consequences), Emet-Selch felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked down to see the worried frown on the part of Elidibus' face that he could see. "Did Azem do something to vex you?" He couldn't see the young man's eyes, but it was plain as day that they were wide and round with concern under the mask. "It must have been a great offense to anger you so. You're so often unflappable."

Emet-Selch winced. His rage, which had been building up again, left him all at once at Elidibus' gentle chiding. He made a mental note to be certain that no one, especially not his friends, heard a word of this. Just because he was still debating on whether or not to still call two of them friends of his didn't mean they needed to hear about this embarrassment. Beside which, he had been showing unprofessional behavior _and_ he'd hurt the Emissary's feelings by accident. He needed to clean his own mess before he could begin to address the real problem.

Thinking quickly gave him a believable (and even somewhat truthful) tale for the youth. "My sincerest apologies, Elidibus. Azem had consulted with me about a personal matter some time ago." He spared a glance towards "Azem." She gave no indication to have noticed anything unusual, for she continued to be engaged in conversation. "I was...concerned," It took an immense amount of effort to keep his voice from expressing his true feelings. "That something he had said in jest was what he ended up doing despite my _quite_ stern disapproval." 

Elidibus tilted his head, the frown lessening into a more neutral expression as he mulled over what had been said. He still hadn't let go of the sleeve of Emet-Selch's robe. It wouldn't take much effort to extract the cloth from the youth's hand, but he'd done enough to tarnish the Emissary's usual enthusiasm so he merely stood there. After all, he knew where the twins normally congregated. And he even had some ideas about where they would hide if they were alerted to his wrath. He could afford to wait for a response.

Eventually the youth nodded at some conclusion he had reached. "I think I understand. Your anger is related to the censure that Azem received."

"I would describe my feelings as an extreme form of irritation, though I can see why you would assume that." Off base though Elidibus was, it would neither be the first nor last time that Emet-Selch had used the assumptions and words of others to technically tell the truth. Particularly when Hythlodaeus, Artemis and Apollo were involved. The fact that a topic of the day's meeting had indeed been a public reprimand for Azem's recent unsanctioned (yet heroic) actions made for a good cover. "Azem is incapable of ignoring those in need. _Regardless_ of the warnings given by wiser fellows." It was a true statement no matter which twin he was talking about. 

A grin settled on the Emissary's face. "How fortunate, then, that we are blessed to have the seat of Azem filled by one so willing to go above and beyond what is asked of them." The smile dimmed a smidge as Elidibus added, "Though it comes at the cost of the concern of their friends."

He looked away from the youth, carefully keeping his face neutral although the words struck a chord within him. "I don't recall mentioning being friends with Azem."

"You don't need to disown Azem just for not listening to you, Emet-Selch." He could have sworn that he heard a hint of an eye roll in that sentence. Not that he could confirm it even if he were searching for an expression. "Mayhap there is a reason behind their actions that you have yet to grasp? The only way to know for certain is to ask." 

A pause grew between the two until finally Emet-Selch gave a snort. "Truly you are the heart of the Convocation, Elidibus." A warm smirk tugged at his lips as he glanced back down at the youth. Sure he was practically lectured by one much younger than him, but his own worry over the well being of two of his fellows was endearing. "I will take what you've said into consideration."

A truly radiant smile greeted his gaze. The young man finally released Emet-Selch's sleeve. "I look forward to your reconciliation." 

It was his turn to roll his eyes with as much subtlety as possible. "We'll see about that." With that, he turned on a heel and made his way to Artemis.

Apparently she had just noticed him walking towards her, for she said her goodbyes and made to leave. Emet-Selch deftly wrapped a hand around his friend's arm before she could escape. "Azem, there you are. I've been meaning to talk with you about something. Let us away and _chat_."

Just because he was less angry did _not_ mean he wouldn't have strong words for his friends.

* * *

"So, how did the meeting go...?"

"Fine enough. I made an upsetting discovery, but was discouraged from acting on it immediately."

"I see."

"And then I had a serious conversation with the twins."

"Ah."

"...You knew that Artemis and Apollo were impersonating each other while also taking on the role of Azem."

"Why that's preposterous. And illegal. And many other equally negative descriptors--"

"Hythlodaeus."

"--why would you accuse me, your dearest friend, of knowing such seditious information? I'm hurt, Hades. Very hurt."

"Hythlodaeus."

"I'm just as shocked as you are that such a thing is happening--"

"The twins didn't say a word about you knowing. Then again they didn't have to."

"Oh fine. Yes, I knew."

"And you didn't try to stop them?"

"How could I? You know as well as I do that once those two have something set in their minds, nothing will discourage them. Even _you_ couldn't stop them if you'd known about it beforehand."

"I _did_ try. I didn't know what the plan was going to be, but I attempted to discourage it anyway."

"And see how much that slowed them down."

"Hm."

"...If it helps, I had nothing to do with _that_ particular decision. They came to me after they had already set themselves on it. I merely made a few suggestions about how to better impersonate each other."

"So the hair extension concept _was_ your doing."

"Guilty as charged."

"Be thankful you're _not_ being charged for anything. Nor are the twins, in case you hadn't heard."

"Good, good."

"...It's odd, though."

"What is?"

"I told Apollo 'feelings fade, duty doesn't.' And I still agree with that. Yet, here I am shirking _my_ duty to report all of this for the sake of my friends' feelings."

"...Perhaps you just have the wrong phrasing."

"Oh really?"

"Don't look at me like that, you can be wrong _sometimes_ , Hades."

"Then what, pray tell, is the correct phrasing?"

"I'm no wordsmith, but perhaps it should be something like, 'many things, including feelings, can and should slip from your grasp, but duty and friendship are what you should hold onto.'"

"...You are _absolutely_ no wordsmith."

"My apologies for trying to sum up your _own_ clunky speech." 

"How are we friends?"

"We just are."

"...She really was being obvious about not being Apollo, though. I told her to not get caught, but I'll need to make certain that no one else suspects. It'd be a nightmare if any other member of the Convocation knew."

"Oh, they didn't tell you?"

"......Tell me what."

"They've informed Elidibus already. It was one of the first things they decided on because, to quote them, 'It would be cruel to leave him confused about the situation.'"

"... _Please_ tell me you have a well fermented bottle."

"Coming right up."


End file.
